James j



(No Model.)

J. J. JOHNSTON. 7

POST HOLE BIGGER. No 265,825. Patented Oct. 10, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. JOHNSTON, OF OOLUMBIANA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, (LIMITED,) OF SAME PLACE.

POST-HOLE DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,825, dated October- 10, 1882.

Application filed February 11, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. JOHNSTON, of Oolumbiana, in the county of Oolumbiana and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Post-Hole Diggets; and I do hereby declare that the followin g is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters ofreference marked thereon.

My invention consists in forming the digging-barrel of a posthole digger of a single piece ofsteel rolled soas toform a baror sheet, straight on one side and slightly bevel on the other, said barrel being tubular in form, having a portion turned in on a line radiating from the axis of the barrel, leaving an opening in the wall ofsaid barrel, thereby allowing the walls'of the barrel in the operation of digging to have a slight spring, and the turnedin portion to cut up the earth from the axis of the barrel to its outer diameter.

To enableothers skilled in the artwith which 'my invention is most nearly connected to make and use it, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, whichform Dart of this specification, Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of my improvement in posthole diggers. Fig. 3 represents a bar or sheet of steel rolled into the proper form for forming blanks for the construction of the digging-barrel. Fig. 4 is an end view, in cross-section, of the digging-barrel. Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofthe metal portion of the handle.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, A represents the digging-barrel, which is bent into the form shown in Fig. 4, with the portion B extending on a radial line from the periphery of the barrel to the axis 0 (N0 model.)

thereof. To the upper end of the barrel A is attached by means of rivetscthe metal portion D of the handle, in which is secured by rivets f a wooden handle, G. The part D of the handle may be conslructcd of malleable castiron, which will greatly reduce the expense of constructing it. The portion B of the barrel A in the process of digging will out up the core formed by the barrel A, thereby greatly facilitating the operation of digging the posthole. When a suflicient amount of the earth is cut and loosened up the operator, by a strong downward stroke of the barrel, will, by means of the bevel of the inner wall, pack the earth in the interior of said barrel, the portion B of the barrel greatly assisting in holding theloosened and packed earth therein. Theoperator then \viihdraws'the barrel from the hole being dug, and, striking the barrel at an incline sidewise against the earth, discharges the contents of it, and proceeds with the digging, as before described.

Apost-hole digger constructed as hereinbefore described will be found to be very efficient for that purpose, and may be manufactured with great facility and at diminished cost.

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim is g A post-hole digger constructed of a single piece ofsteel bent in the form shown, wiih the portion B extending on a radial line to the axis ot'the barrel A, and havingitsiuner walls beveled from its cutting-edgeto the upper end of said barrel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

* JAMES J. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

A. (J. JOHNSTON, T. D. D. OURAND. 

